The images have gone viral, with police saying Monday's incident had "caused a lot of outrage".

Police in the town are now working with the public to identify the couple seen inside the vehicle.

“There was a lot of outrage that wanted these people hunted down, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and should never own a pet. It was pretty ugly on that end,” Police Chief Michael Goodwin told FOX 8.

He said he had to go to Facebook himself to see what people were reporting to call-handlers.

His concern, he added, was that even if the cat was secured to the bonnet with a leash any sudden stop could have seen it fall off and get run over.

“Twenty-five years here in this city and that’s the first time I have ever seen that. We see a lot of strange things and just when you think you have seen it all, another day rolls by,” the chief added.

Lindsey Lewis, director of the Tuscarawas County Humane Society, said that when she first saw the photos - which she labelled "disturbing" - she questioned whether they were real.

"The cat can fall off and be dragged or caught in the tyre,” she said.

“If the people are found, I would be very curious as to why the cat would be on the hood and would definitely need some kind of warning,” Lewis said.